COLUMBUS-Ameritech Cellular Services is combating cellular fraud by requiring all of its customers to use a personal identification number.
Company spokeswoman Ellen Butler said cloning has become a big problem in some of its markets. “We’re experiencing fraud with people driving to the grocery store.” Nationwide, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association estimates that cellular fraud costs carriers about $1.7 million each day.
To combat fraud, Ameritech said all of its new cellular customers automatically will receive a PIN number when they sign up for service. Ameritech plans to contact its existing customers between now and mid-1996 to convert them to using PIN numbers.
Once the PIN is activated, customers enter the telephone number they are calling and press “send.” After two quick rings, they enter the four-digit PIN number and press “send” again, and the call is placed. Even if a cellular number is illegally obtained, outgoing calls cannot be placed without a PIN number, Ameritech said.
